Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf claims the free nutritious meal program could create new job opportunities. "Each kitchen requires workers. [The program] creates job opportunities," said Gus Ipul, the minister's familiar name, in an official statement on Friday, January 31, 2025.
To achieve that, said Gus Ipul, some things must be optimized, including encouraging people living in poverty to work in public kitchens.
"People living in poverty and those who are unemployed can be encouraged to work in the [free nutritious meal] kitchens. That counts as providing job opportunities," he said.
Gus Ipul said ministry data on citizens who are categorized as poor can be used as a reference for potential workers in the free nutritious meal program, given the responsibility to work in the delivery, shopping, and meal distribution.
"If they are within the working age, we will support them to open up businesses if they hope so. But if they hope to be employed, we will assist and train them," said Gus Ipul.
The free nutritious meal program has been running in 31 provinces across Indonesia since January 6, 2025, with a total of 238 operating public kitchens. With the addition of nutrition fulfillment service units (SPPG) that will be inaugurated next month, there will be at least 468 kitchens producing food for the free meal program.
The head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, said that there are already business owners who have registered to become government partners in the free nutritious meal program. "More than thirteen thousand," said Dadan last year on December 5, adding that the government limits the quota of government partners to 28,000 businesses.
– Dede Leni Mardianti contributed to the writing of this article.